Outrage over presidential pardon for VIP ex-convicts

Chief Dipreye Alamieyeisegha.

There were indications on Tuesday that the National Council of State presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan might have approved a presidential pardon for a former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Dipreye Alamieyeisegha.

Alamieyeseigha, who Jonathan recently described as his political benefactor, was convicted of corruption.

His removal from office by the state House of Assembly led to his arrest, prosecution and conviction.

Alamieyeseigha’s exit led to the emergence of Jonathan who was his deputy, as the Bayelsa State governor.

At the end of the meeting of the NCS in Abuja on Tuesday, State House correspondents were not briefed on its outcome but sources at the meeting confirmed that the former governor was granted presidential pardon among some others whose names were presented to the council.

“Yes. It is true that presidential pardon was approved for the former governor at the meeting,” one of the state governors at the meeting, who pleaded anonymity, said.

But his position contradicted the position of his colleague from Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, who claimed that no former governor’s name was mentioned at the meeting.

He however confirmed that the issue of “state pardon” was discussed.

Nyako, who spoke with some journalists in Hausa, said the Council deliberated on the possibility of granting state clemency to certain category of offenders both at state and federal levels.

“No such issue (pardon for errant governors) was discussed. I didn’t see the name of any governor. But we considered the issue of state pardon for people who committed certain offences.

“We observed that in cases of manslaughter, pardon for such should be handled by state governors if they are committed in such states. But if it is the case of armed robbery, the Council may decide to grant pardon or the matter could be referred to the President for his consideration,” Nyako said.

There was no official confirmation on the matter at press time.

Meanwhile,  the National Publicity Secretary of the Congress Progressive Change, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said the pardon was an invitation for people to engage in corruption.

Fashakin said, “His decision is as ludicrous and laughable as giving post humous pardon to Ishola Oyenusi, Lawrence Anini and Monday Osunbor; the notorious armed robbers that terrorised Nigerians in the 70’s and 80’s!

“There is a better way to show solidarity with one’s boss than this utterly reprehensible action.”

Even while the Council of State meeting, which was held behind closed doors, was in progress, the social media were awash with reactions of Nigerians, who believed that the President would be making a mistake by attempting to grant a state pardon for his former boss.

Most Nigerians had questioned the rationale behind the purported pardon, wondering if such initiative would not encourage others to perpetrate fraud, believing that he would also be able to get a state pardon.

The situation about the pardon, however, became more confusing on Tuesday as there was neither an official statement on the reported pardon nor was there any briefing for State House reporters at the end of the meeting.

Source